Phalaenopsis orchid plant named &#39;Miraculous&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Miraculous’ particularly characterized by flowers which are white with purple stripes; the labellum is purple with some white and yellow; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/540,412 filed Sep. 28, 2011, and Netherlands Plant Breeders' Rights application no. OPS840 filed Sep. 30, 2011. The disclosures of both prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Phalaenopsis hybrida

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Miraculous’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Miraculous’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Miraculous’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Miraculous’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Sun Prince’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Super Stupid’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Miraculous’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2006 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in July, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Miraculous’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. flowers which are white with purple stripes; the labellum is purple with some white and yellow;

2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;

3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture;

4. inflorescence is long and sturdy

5. relatively short, dark-green foliage

Presently, there is no commercial cultivar to which ‘Miraculous’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Miraculous’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Miraculous’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Miraculous’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Miraculous’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Miraculous’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Miraculous’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Miraculous’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Miraculous’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Miraculous’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Miraculous’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Miraculous’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Miraculous’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Sun             Prince’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Super Stupid’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-7             mm wide and green in color (RHS 137A); freely branching. It             takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue culture to             initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 63 to 68 cm Spread: about 43             to 60 cm.         -   Growth habit.—standard; dark-green leaves and relatively             normal raceme.         -   Vigor.—moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 peduncles with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—oval, tip is blunt and asymmetric.         -   Texture.—smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—3 to 4 pairs of leaves.         -   Mature leaf length.—about 14 to 19 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—about 9 to 12 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—about 1 to 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color (upper surface).—green (RHS147A).         -   Mature leaf color (under surface).—yellow/green (RHS146B).         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel Color of midvein: upper surface             green (RHS 147A), under surface yellow/green (RHS 146A). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—about 1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per peduncle.—about 6 to 17.         -   Length.—about 54 to 68 cm.         -   Diameter.—about 3 to 5 mm.         -   Strength.—strong.         -   Aspect.—upright.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth Color: green RHS N137C             Internode: Length: about 27 to 50 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height (from base to tip): about 15 mm             to 25 mm Diameter (at midpoint): about 10 mm to 20 mm Color:             yellow/green (RHS 145B).         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2             racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers             per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected             approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a             leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after tepal separation. Orientation at opening: slanted             upward and outward. Shape: see FIG. 2 Size: Height: about 50             mm Diameter: about 60 mm Depth of tube: about 10 mm.         -   Tepals.—Quantity and arrangement: six tepals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Inner whorl of tepals comprises 3             petals, 2 lateral petals and labellum. 2 lateral petals:             Overall shape: broadly ovate, little bit triangular and             weakly cupped Apex: oval Margin: weakly undulate Length:             about 30 mm Width: about 26 mm Texture: Upper surface:             smooth and satiny Under surface: smooth and satiny Color             (when fully opened): upper surface : Main color and edge are             white (RHS N155D), stripes are red/purple (RHS 72A), spots             and outer edges are red/purple (RHS 72B). Under surface: at             the base is RHS N47B, main color is white (RHS N155D),             stripes are purple (RHS 77A) Labellum: Overall shape:             3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central junction of             the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of             labellum fold upward about the column; the midlobe extends             forward and is terminated by 2 short filiform appendages at             the apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape             while the midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it             Margin: entire and weakly undulate Length: about 16 mm Width             (not flattened): about 16 mm Texture: Upper & under surface:             smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened): Mid lob is             purple (RHS N79C) with a purple line in the center (RHS             N79B). Chirri is purple (RHS N79C) with white tips (RHS             NN155D). Under surface is purple (RHS 77B) at the base and             in the center. Main color is purple (RHS N79C). Lateral lobs             are at the base yellow (RHS 6B) and white (RHS NN155D) and             purple (N79C) which turns into purple (RHS N81B). Edges are             yellow (RHS 6B) and white (RHS NN155D). Under surface is             white (RHS N155B) and purple (RHS N81A) at the base. Edges             are yellow (RHS 6B) and white (RHS NN155D). Main color is             purple (RHS N81B) Chirri: short Pestle Length: About 3 mm             Width (not flattened): about 3 mm Color: at the base white             (RHS NN155D), on top and on front and back red/purple (RHS             61A) and grey/orange (RHS 163A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl of tepals comprises 3             sepals. Overall shape: elliptical and weakly cupped Length:             about 30 to 35 mm Width: about 25 to 30 mm Texture: Upper &             under surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened):             Dorsal sepal: main color and edges are white (RHS N155D),             stripes/spots are red/purple (RHs 72A), base and spots are             red/purple (RHS 72B). Under surface: main color and edges             are white (RHS N155D), stripes/spots are purple (RHS 77A).             Lateral sepal: main color and edges are white (RHS N155D).             Stripes and spots are red/purple (RHS 72A). The base and             some spots are purple (RHS 72B). Under surface: main color             and edges are white (RHS N155C), spots and stripes are             purple (RHS 77A). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 7 mm Diameter: about 6 mm Color: Main             color purple (RHS 77B), at the base red/purple (RHS 78A) and             the tip and edges white (RHS N155C).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: Two Size: about 1 mm Color:             yellow/orange (RHS 23A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 4 mm Diameter: about 5 mm Color: white             (RHS 76D).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 36 mm Diameter: about 3 mm Texture:             glabrous and smooth Color: at the base green (RHS N137A) in             the middle yellow/green (RHS 146B) at the end white (RHS             N155C). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Miraculous’, as illustrated and described herein. 